Different Pasts, Common Presents
by Night-the-Dragon
Summary: Neku Sakuraba is no stranger to tragedy. Now, alone, he's forced to endure the hormonal hell of public education. Hopefully the silverette in his classes will make things a little smoother...not. Yaoi, Joshua/Neku, Rated M for future lemons.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Now for another Joshua/Neku fic! This one is back to Joshua being seme, so no surprises. And no surprise, it's all Neku's POV. And I'm sorta dragging Night into this, but he'll be in a different form this time. You'll see what I mean, hehe. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Different Pasts, Common Presents

Chapter 1

I trudged up to the large building, shifting my messenger bag a bit on my shoulder. As I walked into the high school, I made my way to the office, where I was greeted by a secretary at the front desk.

"Hello, may I help you?" she said kindly.

"Um, yeah, I'm new here," I murmured shyly.

"Ah, yes. What's your name, sweetie?" she asked.

"Neku Sakuraba," I mumbled, lowering my gaze.

"Okay Neku, just follow me, and I'll show you where your classes are," she smiled softly, and I nodded. As she led me around, I memorized where everything was, and then we ended up at my first class of the day, math. She stopped me before I could go in, though. "And here's a map of the school in case you get lost. It's a big high school, so it helps to have one."

"Thank you," I told her quietly, and she walked me into the classroom.

"Sho, your new student is here," she announced as we went inside. A gray haired, dark-skinned man stood near a desk, writing on the white board in preparation for the class. He looked over as we walked in.

"Ah, the newest radian, eh?" he grinned.

"Hush, you. Neku is just starting out here," she scolded, and he chuckled.

"I'm just teasing, you know that, Uzuki," he said. He then looked at me. "You can do math, right?"

"Of course," I nodded, and he smirked.

"Good to know, radian. What's your name?" he asked.

"Neku," I answered, and he nodded.

"All right, take your seat. We still have a good 15 minutes until class starts, so take advantage of it and start copying down what's on the board," he instructed.

"Yes sir," I agreed.

"And call me Sho. We all go by first names here, so don't sweat the formalities," he added, and I nodded once more before taking a seat in the back.

I slipped on my headphones and changed the currently paused song to Twister. As the music flowed over me, I glanced at the white board occasionally to see the notes that were already written up there. I copied them down quickly, even finishing right when Sho was done, and then pulled out my sketchbook and began to draw. What was I drawing, you might ask? None other than my cat, Night, as he slept. I love my cat; he's pretty much been my only friend since my parents died. But that I can explain another time.

Suddenly, the bell rang overhead, and I turned my music off before lowering my headphones to hang around my neck. I watched as the stragglers quickly filed into the classroom, and then Sho took roll before addressing the class.

"Today, hectopascals, we have a new student," he said, and motioned for me to stand up. "Go ahead and introduce yourself." I did as instructed.

"I'm Neku," I said shyly, and Sho nodded in approval.

"All right, sit back down. I'll have Rhyme help you if you need it," he told me, and I hurriedly sat back down, feeling the heat on my cheeks. A small blonde girl who sat in front of me turned around and smiled kindly at me before speaking.

"Hi, I'm Rhyme," she said. "I'll be here if you need help."

"Thanks," I murmured, and she turned back around to face the front. Sho started the lesson, and I was able to keep up with ease. That's the plus of being homeschooled by college parents.

Eventually, the hour long class ended, signaled by the bell ringing, and I got up, my bag on my shoulder. I waited until the rush to leave the classroom was clear, and then I noticed Rhyme waiting by the door next to a taller blonde boy.

"Hi Neku, this is my brother, Beat," she said, introducing the other boy. Beat didn't say anything, just glared at me. That is, until Rhyme elbowed him in the ribs. "Beat, be nice. He's not going to do anything to me, jeez."

"Damn, yo, that hurt," Beat whined. "Why can't you listen to me for once, yo?"

"Because you have poor judgment," Rhyme snorted. I decided to leave then.

"Sorry about the trouble, guys, but I'm just gonna go to my next class on my own," I mumbled, lowering my head a bit.

"You sure?" Rhyme asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I assured her.

"Okay, well, I'll see you later, then, Neku," she waved, smiling at me. As I left, I heard a small thump as she punched her brother again. I didn't catch what she said, didn't care, either, so I just walked to my next class, language arts. I walked in, feeling a pair of eyes watching me, and my face heated up slightly out of embarrassment. I didn't dare to look, just took a seat in the back again, pulled my headphones over my ears, and continued where I had left off on my drawing.

Out of nowhere, my sketchbook was pulled out from my grip, and I looked up, glaring at the offender irritably. It was a silver-haired boy with violet eyes, pale skin, and wore dark, flared jeans and a pale blue button-up shirt. I quickly lowered my headphones as they continued to play the music.

"Do you mind?" I growled, and he smirked.

"Yes, I do, actually," he replied, the smirk turning into a cheeky grin. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"Neku. Neku Sakuraba. Can I please have my sketchbook back?" I said.

"Not until you sit next to me," he answered. "Then you can have it."

"Yoshiya, give him back his sketchbook," the teacher said as she entered the classroom.

"But Mitsuki, I want him to sit next to me," the boy, Yoshiya, whined.

"I don't care. Bribery is not the way to go about it," Mitsuki snapped, and Yoshiya reluctantly handed me back my sketchbook. "That's what I thought."

"And don't call me Yoshiya! Call me Joshua!" he added, scowling.

"Only if you behave, then I'll call you what you want," she retorted. "Treat others how you want to be treated."

"As you wish," Joshua grumbled, and went back to his seat.

"Sorry about him," Mitsuki apologized to me as she wrote on the board. "Joshua is kind of an attention hog."

"Sounds like it," I agreed, and she laughed lightly.

"Neku, right? It's good to have you join us," she smiled, and glared at Joshua. "Now be nice to him."

"Fine, I will," the silverette nodded shortly. Mitsuki nodded once, satisfied, and I returned to my drawing. As soon as the bell rang, however, I tucked my sketchbook back into my bag and pulled out my notebook, starting to copy down the notes on the board. No sooner than the bell had rung, everyone filed in, taking their seats.

"All right, class, I know it's been a good weekend for all of you, but it's time to hand in your essays," Mitsuki announced, and there were a few grumblings as she picked up at least half of the class's essays. It looked like not everyone had done them, but those who hadn't didn't seem to really care. I noticed Joshua had done his, and she collected it as he smiled charmingly at her. She whacked him on the head for trying to suck up, making me chuckle quietly at his misfortune.

"Now, even though I just collected your essays, I'm handing out another one." There was a collective groan from my new classmates, and she snapped at them. "QUIET! This is my class, my rules. Now, this one can be a freestyle essay, written about any topic you'd please, as long as it's nothing inappropriate, such as perverted subjects. Everyone is required to do this one. If you don't, I'll automatically put you at an 'F' until you bring it back up. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes, Ms. Konishi," everyone around me muttered. I merely nodded, eager to work on this one. It sounded like a good idea, as long as everyone stuck to something appropriate.

"Also, if you want, you can work with a partner," she added. Before the others said anything, however, she added, "But you still have to write your own essays. The partnership is merely for help."

There was another collective groan until Mitsuki slammed her hand onto her desk at the front, silencing the now fearful class. I happened to notice Joshua's violet eyes watching me, a smirk playing on his lips. I could tell he wanted to partner up with me, but I wasn't too keen about it.

"Now, I'm excusing you to the library, where you can start on your essays," she told us. "Go." Everyone but me scrambled out of the classroom, and then I spotted Joshua waiting behind as well. _Probably waiting for me_, I thought to myself. As I walked to the door, ignoring him, he suddenly jumped up and stopped me.

"Say, Neku, why don't we be partners?" Joshua suggested, and I shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't see why not. But I have one condition," I said.

"And that would be…?" he asked.

"No messing with me. Don't take my sketchbook, headphones, or anything of mine unless I say you can," I said firmly, and he nodded.

"Sounds somewhat reasonable," he agreed. "Where can we meet after school for this?"

"Um, I guess my place," I replied, feeling nervous about it. I hope Night won't attack him like he has other people he doesn't like…

"What's wrong?" Joshua asked, his smirk fading.

"Nothing, it's cool," I assured him, and quickly bolted to the library to make my escape. I sat down and pulled out my flash drive, which was shaped like a cat. As I wrote, kinda on autopilot, I thought about how much Joshua flustered me already. I barely know him! How can I be so easily embarrassed by him? He doesn't even know me or my life, anyway…

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Soon enough, the bell rang, ending my third period free time. I didn't have a class during third period, according to my schedule, but that was fine. More time to write this essay, anyway. Once I finished the sentence, I saved it, ejected my flash drive, and stuck it back into my bag before leaving for fourth period. I glanced at my schedule; I have art next. A small smile worked its way onto my face as I walked, and then I arrived at the classroom. I walked in, sighing happily as I sat down and pulled out another sketchbook, this one free of drawings and ready to be used.

When the bell rang for the small class to start, a dark-haired teacher wearing black pants, a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a dark grey vest over his shirt, flip-flops, and a small pair of sunglasses walked in.

"Heya class," he greeted. "Ready to start drawing?" There was a murmured agreement before the door opened, and in walked Joshua of all people. I groaned internally, but kept a cool exterior, even as he spotted me and walked over.

"Well, hello, Neku," he giggled, and immediately, my expression read WTF. I stared at him for a few seconds, shocked by the fact that he literally just giggled. "What, cat got your tongue, Nekky?" I snapped out of my stupor and glared heavily at him.

"Don't call me that," I growled, and the teacher cleared his throat.

"Joshua, leave him alone," he warned. "Neku obviously doesn't want to be called that. You should know that feeling by now."

"Yes, Sanae," Joshua grumbled, and sat down across from me. "Man, you're such a hard-ass sometimes…"

"Mr. Hanekoma needs to be a hard-ass when it comes to you, Josh," a girl with pink hair said snottily.

"Shut it, Eri, I didn't ask for your opinion," Joshua snapped. The brunette girl next to Eri pushed her glasses a little further up her nose, smirking, but didn't say anything. She held her black cat doll close to her chest, leering at me. I quickly looked away, looking down at my sketchbook before opening it, pulling my headphones over my ears, and beginning to draw.

Sketching lightly, I began to draw a picture of a fox and a kitten. The kitten was trying to climb on the fox to play with it while the fox was trying to ignore the kitten scrambling onto it. Smiling softly, I finished the outline, and then drew in the dark lines before pulling out my colored pencils. I colored in the fox with red-orange, and then made its eyes amber. When I finished the fox, I pulled out black, silver, and blue to color in the kitten. I colored in the kitten's fur with silver, using black for some flecks amongst the silver, and then finished by coloring his eyes blue.

"Very good, Neku," a voice behind me said, startling me. I paused my music and lowered my headphones, and then looked behind me to see Mr. H looking over my work. "I'm impressed. You need to take that kind of talent somewhere. If you want, I can recommend your work to a few places. I would just need a portfolio of your art."

"Uh…Can I think about it?" I asked nervously. Mr. H looked slightly surprised before nodding once in understanding.

"Sure thing, Phones. I understand," he agreed with a small laugh at my expression from the nickname.

"Thanks, Mr. H," I smiled slightly, and resumed my work, finishing off the shading and coloring perfectly. When I was done, the bell rang right on time, and I closed the sketchbook, sighing. Time for lunch. This meant I would be alone. I looked at my schedule again before cheering internally. I only had one more class after lunch, and then I could go home.

I left the classroom, making my way outside, where it was nice and I could sit in the shade. I hadn't brought any money with me for lunch today, nor did I pack one, so I had nothing to eat for today. I didn't feel like eating, anyway. Wasn't hungry, and I was stressing out, too. Joshua still obviously planned on coming over to my home, which I honestly wasn't too keen on. Maybe I should just cancel? No, he'll think I'm hiding something… You know what, I'll pretend I forgot and leave without him. He's got to have another class after fifth period, right? Hopefully he does.

I sat by myself until the bell rang, my eyes closed as I listened to my music. As soon as it rang, I left for my last class of the day, science. Honestly, it shouldn't be too bad. Just the teacher lecturing about chemicals and shit, right? I certainly hope so.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

_Yes, I love when I'm right_, I thought gleefully as I walked out of class. Joshua wasn't in science with me, mercifully, and I could now go home without worrying about him finding out about my home life. I walked home, and when I opened the door to my small house, there was the sound of little bells jingling right before my cat ran into the room and straight up to me, purring and mewing happily.

"Hey, Night," I greeted, feeling relaxed for the first time today. He looked up at me with his big blue eyes, and I smiled. "Sorry I left you for so long, buddy, but this is going to be a regular thing now." The silver cat with black flecks in his fur narrowed his eyes at me, unhappy with this information. "I know, I know, it sucks, and I don't like it either, but since Mom and Dad aren't here anymore, I need to attend public school now or else I'll get in big trouble. I might lose you if that happens, so I need to go to this school."

"Mrow?" Night meowed, seeming confused.

"You'll be taken away from me if I don't go to school," I simplified, and the cat's eyes widened in horror before he mewed sadly. "Don't worry; I'll spoil you when I'm home."

"Meow!" he cried happily, and ran into the kitchen eagerly.

"At this rate, you'll be one plump kitty," I called after him as I shut the door and locked it. As I pulled my shoes off, he gave me a dirty look. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You know I know what you like." He rolled his eyes before returning back into the kitchen. "I'm coming, I'm coming. It's your dinner time, I know." I smiled softly while he ate his canned tuna, and stroked his back, causing him to purr happily. "Good boy. You get to sleep with me while this whole school thing is going on, okay?" Night meowed a couple of times between bites, and then returned to his meal.

When he finished eating, I fixed myself some dinner and ate before getting ready for bed. Night followed me to my room, curling up on my bed and watching me as I changed into a plain black t-shirt and black and white checkered sleep pants. I slipped my headphones off my head and set them on my dresser before climbing into bed with the silver cat. I stroked my hand along his belly, feeling and hearing him purr, and I smiled.

"Goodnight, Night," I murmured, and closed my eyes before going to sleep.

A/N: And there's that chapter! I hope you guys enjoy this. I worked hard on it, haha! R&R, peeps!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: And now for the second chapter. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Different Pasts, Common Presents

Chapter 2

When I woke up the next morning to my alarm sounding, I was greeted by Night sniffing my face curiously. As soon as my eyes opened, however, he stepped back and meowed at me.

"Good morning, Night," I said, and yawned as I sat up. I stroked his head a couple times as he purred happily. "Hungry?"

"Mew!"

"No worries, pal, I'll fix your breakfast," I chuckled. I climbed out of bed and changed into my clothes for the day, and then put my headphones on to hang around my neck. Once dressed, I left to the kitchen, Night following, where I cooked some scrambled eggs. I cooked three in total, two for me and one for Night. I grinned down at my friend when I was done cooking them. "I know, you're hungry. Here, your scrambled egg is ready."

I scraped the egg into his bowl, and he immediately began to eat, purring happily at the taste. Smiling softly, I pet his head once and then made some toast and began to eat my own breakfast. When I was finished, I looked at the clock; 6:45. Time to go. This time, I grabbed five hundred yen from my wallet, and tucked it into my pocket. Sighing, I looked at Night as he finished eating his own scrambled egg.

"Mrow?" he said, looking at me.

"Gotta go, buddy. I'll be home before 2, though, I promise," I told him, and he blinked his eyes at me, trying to sway me from my decision to go to school. "You know that won't always work, Night."

"Meow…"

"I know it sucks, but maybe I can get you a new friend sometime, someone to keep you company," I suggested, and the silver cat seemed to consider it before nodding. "Okay, then I'll stop by the shelter this weekend and I'll adopt a kitten buddy for you."

"Meow!"

"Cool," I smiled, and then stroked his head again before grabbing my backpack and leaving. I locked the door behind me, and then began the 30 minute walk to school. As I walked, I thought about how Night having a cat friend would be good for him. At least he won't be lonely while I'm at school.

Eventually, my thoughts drifted to my parents. They had been dead for almost a year now, but the topic was still fresh on my mind. If anyone were to approach the topic in the wrong way, I would more than likely break down. What sucks is that by next Saturday, it'll be exactly one year since they died. I still can't believe that people drink and drive like that. If it hadn't been for that drunk driver, my parents would still be alive. That's why I'll never drink, not ever.

"Neku!" a voice yelled at me, and I jumped, startled as I stood in front of the school. I looked about, lowering my headphones, and noticed Joshua approaching me. Oh, I hope he's not too mad…

"Oh, uh, hi, Joshua," I greeted nervously. "What's up?"

"You didn't wait for me yesterday," he said, looking annoyed. I lowered my gaze, feeling anxious. "I thought we were going to be partners for this essay."

"Sorry, I forgot. I'm almost finished with mine, anyway," I told him.

"How on earth did you almost finish an essay that fast?" he asked, violet eyes wide.

"I'm a fast writer, and I picked a topic I liked," I shrugged, starting to relax.

"Ugh, just wait up for me today," he grumbled. I thought fast, trying to come up with an excuse. I don't need everyone to know about my life.

"Actually, Joshua, I'm going out with my parents for dinner tonight," I lied quickly. The silverette eyed me for a minute, and I almost thought he had seen through my lie.

"All right, but we're going to have to meet up this weekend. I have work tomorrow night and Friday, so you're off the hook until Saturday," he said, and I sighed internally. I was going to get Night's kitten friend on Saturday, though, so I'll change that right quick.

"How about Sunday? I'm free then," I suggested. "I have to run some errands on Saturday, so I'd be kinda busy."

"…Okay, fine. Sunday it is, then," Joshua agreed grudgingly. "But this time, I want your phone number so I can remind you." I nodded and quickly wrote out my cell number on a slip of paper before handing it to him. His eyes scanned the paper once, and then he pocketed it. "See you in language arts, Nekky."

"Don't call me that, Yoshiya," I growled, and he rolled his eyes as he turned and left with a small wave.

"Hi, Neku!" a cheerful voice chirped behind me. I turned and saw Rhyme as she walked over with Beat. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, just eager to go home already," I replied.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," she sighed. "By the way, how come you and Joshua are meeting on Sunday?"

"We're working on our essays for Konishi's class," I explained.

"Wow, the sneakiest guy in school has chosen another victim, yo," Beat chuckled. Rhyme nudged him.

"Beat, be nice. Maybe this will be different," she chided.

"What do you mean, 'another victim'?" I asked, bewildered.

"Prissy kid there uses people that don't know better, yo," the older blonde explained. "He uses them to get what he wants, yo, and when he's got it, he tosses them aside like they're nothing."

"So, wait, he's gonna use me?" I questioned, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"I don't think so," Rhyme answered. "This seems different. He usually really flirtatious with his victims in the beginning, but he hasn't done that with you so far."

"We'll see about that, yo!" Beat laughed. Rhyme elbowed him in the ribs, making him jump and yelp. "What the hell, Rhyme?!"

"Be nice to him, Beat," his sister scolded. "He's new here, you know that."

"Whatever, yo…" he grumbled.

"Well, big bro, I had better head off for math with Neku," Rhyme said, and hugged him before leading me off to Sho's class. When we entered the room, there was no one there but the teacher. At least, until the bell rang, and then everyone piled into the classroom and took their seats.

Sho took roll and then began to lecture and write on the already crammed-with-information board. I was able to keep up, writing quickly and efficiently. Finally, the bell rang, but not before Sho announced the homework for the day. Everyone's writing hands seemed to be cramping, considering some were trying to shake off the pain when the bell rang.

Rhyme bid me farewell, and told me she'd see me tomorrow before leaving for her next class. I made my way to English, and of course, there was Joshua, but this time he sat in the back next to where I had sat yesterday. I mentally sighed, knowing there was no way out of this one. Discreetly, I slipped my headphones over my ears, starting up the song Calling. I avoided Joshua's gaze as I made my way to my seat, purposely ignoring him and sitting down. As I pulled out my things, I could feel Joshua's curious eyes on me. Finally, the bell rang, and I lowered my headphones as Konishi walked in.

"Okay, class, I forgot to mention yesterday, your essays are due by Monday," she announced. There were nods and a few groans, but she ignored it. "And I have an assignment that is due the following day, small piece of art that has to do with your essay. Again, it has to be appropriate. Anything inappropriate will be made to be a failing grade. Also, I want six pages for your essays."

"But Mitsuki, what if we can't think of enough for six pages?" the brunette girl from yesterday with the cat doll asked.

"That's why it's double-spaced, font size 12, Shiki" Konishi replied. "You know how I like your essays, unless you have never done one for me, in which case you need to get your asses in gear." There were nods and murmured agreements throughout the class, and I quickly jotted down the advice in my notebook. "Okay, I'm taking you all to the library this time, seeing as yesterday, some of you decided to skip out on working."

She went to the door and waited as we got our things and waited. Once everyone was ready, we all followed her to the library, where everyone sat down at a computer and began to work. Like yesterday, I pulled out my flash drive, plugged it into the computer, and began to work. I jammed out to Long Dream as I typed, my fingers flowing across the keyboard.

Soon enough, I sat back, finished with my essay. I proofread it, making sure there were no grammatical errors as my eyes scanned over each page. When I was sure there were no more corrections that needed to be fixed, I saved the document and ejected my flash drive. Standing, I stretched as Konishi walked over to me.

"Already finished, Neku?" she asked.

"Yeah, I worked on it during second and third period yesterday, and I just finished it now," I confirmed.

"Well, you can turn yours in early for some extra credit, if you'd like," she suggested.

"Can I print it here?" I questioned.

"No, unfortunately, but you can print it off tonight, and turn it in tomorrow for the same amount of points," she told me, and I nodded.

"Sounds good. I'll do that," I smiled.

"Good. You can leave now, if you want," she said, and I nodded again.

"Thanks, Mitsuki," I told her, and started to leave. As I picked up my bag, I felt Shiki and Eri staring at me, and I made the mistake of looking at them.

"What are you looking at?" Eri demanded irritably. I quickly looked away, my cheeks flushed out of embarrassment, and I heard her say cockily, "That's what I thought."

_What a bitch_, I thought, annoyed, and left, glaring at the floor. _If only I could punch her in the face…She doesn't need to behave that way, after all._

"Neku?" Rhyme's voice called out to me as I walked to art. I looked up, surprised to see her in the hallway. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm heading to art early, even though I have third period free," I explained. "I finished Konishi's essay early, and she let me leave."

"Cool, wanna head over there with me?" she offered. "I have art third period." I shrugged.

"Sure, I guess so," I answered, and followed her to art.

"So how was Joshua with you in English?" she questioned as we walked.

"Didn't talk to him, and he didn't talk to me," I replied. "Maybe he knows that I know about him using people."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe he's not going to use you," she said. "I have a feeling he's genuinely interested in you, Neku."

"Huh? Why do you think that?" I wondered, puzzled, and she smiled slightly.

"Because he hasn't flirted with you yet," she told me. "Beat and I have known Joshua since we were kids, and he's always been a flirter ever since he hit puberty. He flirts with everyone, guys and girls, so he's bi. There's no reason for him to not be interested in you. Besides, you're different from the ones he usually preys on."

"How so?"

"You're quiet, not someone who enjoy being the center of attention, isn't afraid to fight back when needed, and you have a good head on your shoulders," she listed, and then giggled. "Plus, you're cute." I felt my cheeks heat up at her words, and I looked away, still blushing.

"No I'm not…" I mumbled, but she caught it.

"Trust me, Neku, I know Joshua, even if we haven't spoken much in a few years, and you're his kind of guy," she smiled. I didn't say anything, just thinking over her words. Joshua…attracted to me? I highly doubt it. I guess only time will tell, though…

X*X(That Saturday)X*X

I woke up on Saturday feeling excited. Today I was going to adopt a new kitten for Night to have as company for while I'm gone at school. I waited until I felt Night's chest moving with his breathing against my back, and then I sat up, petting his back.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," I greeted teasingly, and he looked up at me, giving a small, tired mew. "Ready to have a new friend today?"

"Meow!"

"Good. Let's make some breakfast, and then I'll get ready to get your friend," I smiled. He purred before standing and stretching, and I did the same before getting dressed. Suddenly, my phone went off, signaling a text message, and I checked the message and the current time. It was from Joshua, and it was 8:13 in the morning.

_Hey Nekky, can I come over today? Pretty please?_

Growling under my breath, I typed in a quick reply.

_Why? I have stuff to do today._

Not even a minute later and my phone chirped again.

_Come on, pretty please? I won't bug you, I promise! Besides, I'm bored, and don't know what else to do. You're my only hope._

Sighing, I decided to relent, but only because of his stupidity, and I can use these texts later for blackmailing to show he begged.

_Fine. But you have to follow any instructions I give you exactly,_ I typed. _Can you at least manage that?_

_Of course! Anything for you, Nekky dear,_ his message read. _What are you doing today?_

_You'll see when you get here. And don't call me that!_ I replied, and hit send.

_You tease! Fine, I guess I shall join you soon. And why not? It's cute~_

_All right, see you when you get here. I'm not cute, that's why._

He didn't reply after that, mercifully, and I quickly changed into my usual attire. I had sent Joshua my address earlier in the week, shortly after he text me after I gave him my number. Honestly, although I was nervous, I was also feeling excited at the same time. I'll be honest, I like Joshua, but I'm still not certain about whether or not he's using me, like Beat had said. Once I was dressed, I looked at Night, who was patiently waiting on my bed for me.

"Hey Night, we're having a guest over today, and it's not just the new friend," I told him, and he stared at me. "Someone from school is going to help me pick out the new kitten."

"Mrow?" he meowed, puzzled.

"A friend of mine, I guess," I said. "Someone new that you haven't met yet." Night's eyes widened in surprise before he tilted his head as if to say, 'Why?'

"Because he pestered me into it," I laughed. "Please don't attack him, or else he'll hate me." His eyelids lowered slightly as if he were telling me, 'No promises.'

"It'll be fine, Night, now just try, okay?" I said, and he rolled his eyes before trotting off into the kitchen. I followed him, sighing a bit, and then there was a knock on the door. "Coming!" I called, and went to answer the door, murmuring, "He's here already?" Opening the door, I wasn't too surprised to see Joshua standing there, a small grin on his face.

"Why hello there, Neku," he greeted, and I showed him in. "I'm surprised I didn't wake you earlier with my message."

"I was already up, actually," I told him. "I hadn't even been up five minutes when I got it."

"Why are you up so early?"

"I'm going to the animal shelter today."

"To do what? Volunteer?" he guessed.

"No, I'm getting a kitten, dumbass," I replied. He gave me a puzzled look, so I called, "Night! Come meet our guest!" The tinkling of little bells sounded as he raced in, running right up to me and sitting at my feet. "This is my cat, Night. He's been my best friend for 13 years. I've had him since he was a kitten, and I was only four." I turned and started to head into the kitchen. "You hungry?"

"Um, yeah, I am, actually," Joshua admitted, and followed me. "What are you making?"

"I usually make scrambled eggs in the morning for Night and me," I answered, smiling at the silver cat as he perched on his cat tree near the stove. "If you want, though, I could make you an omelet."

"Sounds good," he agreed.

"Okay, does cheese and ham sound good in there?"

"Yeah, actually, it does," he smiled.

"Cool, I'll make us each an omelet, then," I nodded, and began to whip up the eggs, making sure to give Night his share before starting the omelets.

"So, Neku, why do you want another cat?" Joshua asked as I cooked.

"Because I know Night's been lonely while I've been at school, and I thought it would be a good idea to get him a buddy to keep him company," I replied. "Besides, he seems thrilled with it."

"How can you tell?"

"I've lived with this cat for 13 years, Joshua. I know him very well. Besides, he's very expressive."

"How so?"

"Night, show him what you think of new people normally," I said, but the cat instead rolled his eyes and curled up. "See what I mean? He's got a personality."

"More like sass," the silverette giggled, and Night gave him a WTF look, making me laugh.

"That's the same look I gave you when I first heard you giggle, hahahahaha!" I laughed loudly. Joshua stared at Night, shocked by the expression, and then laughed as well.

"Well, he certainly is one-of-a-kind," he agreed, chuckling.

"Yeah, but that's one of the reasons I love this cat so much," I nodded as I flipped the omelets onto plates. Placing the plate in front of Joshua, I sat down as he dug in.

"Damn, Neku, this is good!" he complimented around his mouthful of egg. Smirking, I took a bite of my omelet.

"I'm a good cook," I shrugged. We quickly finished up our omelets, and then I grabbed my wallet, tucking it into my back pocket. "We can wash the dishes once we get the kitten settled."

"Okay, then let's go," Joshua nodded.

"Awesome. Night, we'll be back," I called, and we left, pausing so I could lock the front door behind us. I started to walk off to the local animal shelter, where they had some kittens.

"Well, here are all of our kittens, including the feral ones," the woman who led us to the back told us. "Feel free to choose a good match for you and your home life, and let us know when you find one."

"Thank you," I said softly, and she smiled once more before leaving us. When she had left, Joshua turned to me.

"So, what kind of kitten are you looking for?" he asked.

"One that has a personality like Night's," I answered simply. And with that, I began the search for the right kitten, even looking through the feral ones, which seemed to calm as I approached.

"Wow, Neku, even the feral kittens seem to like you," Joshua joked, smirking.

"Well, I've always had a way with animals," I shrugged. I stroked my finger along the nose of a feral kitten that had approached the cage bars, and it licked me. Smiling, I carefully picked it up out of the cage and held it close to my chest, rubbing its small head gently.

"He's pretty cute," the silverette remarked, reaching over to pet it. The kitten narrowed its eyes warningly, and then bared its little teeth in a hiss. I chuckled as it calmed down when Joshua retracted his hand.

"And he apparently doesn't like you," I snickered. Joshua glared at me playfully.

"Whatever," he muttered. The kitten purred happily as I pet his head. He had black fur with white flecks along his chest, white front paws, and green eyes.

"I'm gonna get this little fella," I announced. "He's a real cutie, and he's got personality."

"What're you gonna name him?" Joshua asked.

"Actually, that one's a girl," the woman told me, smiling.

"All right, I'll name her Cookie," I grinned.

"'Cookie'? Why that name, Neku?" the silverette chuckled.

"She looks like a cookie with her color pattern, only the colors are reversed," I explained.

"Ah, gotcha," he nodded. The woman had me sign a few papers for Cookie's adoption, and then gave me a carrier. I loaded her into the carrier before buying a second litter box, food bowl, a few toys, a collar, and some kitten food. I paid the woman and added a $20 donation for the shelter before leaving with my new kitten and her stuff. By the time we got back to my place, I could feel the carrier shaking every now and then from Cookie's eagerness to get out.

"Easy, Cookie, we're home now," I chided gently, and unlocked the door to my house. Joshua went in first with all of the stuff, and I heard the jingling of Night's collar as he ran over to greet us.

"Meow!" he cried out excitedly as I set down the carrier.

"Night, be patient," I told him. "Let Cookie get used to her new home, and then you can show her the ropes." He nodded once as I opened the door to the carrier, and made sure the front door was closed before inviting Cookie out. "Okay Cookie, come out and see your new home, plus your new friend."

Cookie crept out from her carrier, looking around apprehensively, and then noticed Night. He meowed out a greeting, and she went right up to him, sniffing him. The two sniffed each other for a bit before she mewed at him happily.

"Seems like they like each other," Joshua giggled, and immediately, Cookie stared at him, a WTF expression in place.

"Oh my god, that priceless!" I laughed, and Joshua joined in.

"What is it about me giggling that makes everyone look at me like that?" he wondered.

"Because it's such a strange sound to hear from a guy," I answered, smirking. Those violet eyes rolled at me, and then there was a hiss as Cookie glared at Joshua. "I don't think she likes it when you cop an attitude with me, Joshua."

"I think you're right," he chuckled. The two cats rolled their eyes, and then Night led Cookie off to explore the house.

"Good, Night likes her," I smiled, and then started to head to my room to grab my laptop and flash drive.

"Where are you going?" the silverette asked me.

"To get my laptop and flash drive," I replied. "We might as well get you working on your essay now, seeing as I've already finished mine and turned it in."

"Fine, I guess so," Joshua sighed. I came back out with my stuff, set it down on the coffee table, and then proceeded to set up the new litter box in the laundry room. When that was done, I washed Cookie's new food bowl dried it, and then filled it with the kitten food. I placed her food bowl on the other side of the kitchen, away from Night's so he wouldn't eat it.

"Cookie, come get some food!" I called, and she trotted in, Night following. I clipped her collar around her neck as she ate, which she didn't seem to mind. She actually purred a bit when she heard the jingle, and then continued eating. I gave Night some treats to occupy him while Cookie ate.

"So, what was your essay on?" Joshua asked as I walked back in and spread the cat toys out on the floor.

"It was about my cat and home life before I began to attend high school," I said without looking up. _Please, oh please don't let him ask about my parents…_ I pleaded in my mind.

"What do you mean?"

"I was home-schooled."

"Really? What made you end up in high school, then?" he questioned, and I thought of a quick lie.

"My parents became busy with new jobs once they graduated from college, and were sent on business trips," I lied smoothly.

"Where to?"

"New York City for Dad, and Mom was sent to Hawaii," I answered. "They probably won't be back for a few months."

"I'm sorry, Neku," he murmured, and I shrugged.

"It's okay," I told him, and then looked up with a small smile. "I'm just glad to have Night, and now Cookie, in my life to keep me company."

"So they're okay with you getting a second cat?"

"Of course, they've always trusted me to be responsible." I glanced over at Night, who had heard me lying to Joshua, and his eyes were narrowed. I shook my head minutely at him, and he rolled his eyes before leaving with Cookie to play. I sat down next to Joshua on the couch and opened my laptop, logging in and setting up a Word document. "You have a flash drive, right Joshua?" I asked.

"Um, no. To be honest, I haven't even started my essay yet," he admitted, grinning sheepishly.

"Oh dear god, seriously?" I groaned, and facepalmed. "You need one. My parents always taught me to keep one and to never lose it. School work, especially in college, kind of requires it. Hang on." I went back to my room and grabbed a pack of old flash drives I hadn't used yet. When I returned, I held them out to him and said, "Pick one. You can keep the one you choose."

"I'll take…the white fox one," he said, and I handed it to him. I immediately had a brief image of the drawing I had made in art class during my first day of school in my mind's eye, and then it was gone. I blinked as I snapped out of my daze.

"Why the fox?" I asked.

"They're my favorite animal," Joshua smiled.

"Cool, now you're set, then," I grinned, and sat down at my laptop again. "Now, what did you want to write your essay on?"

"Dunno, that's the thing," he sighed. "I'm thinking of writing about foxes…"

"Hey, that'll work," I said. "As long as it's something interesting, it should hold your interest, right?"

"I guess so," Joshua smiled.

"Also, you need to stay here tonight, that way you can finish your essay," I smirked.

"What."

"Yup, I'm keeping you here until you finish that essay. It's due on Monday, after all," I pointed out.

"I guess it won't be too bad," he shrugged. "But what about my stuff?"

"You can borrow some of my things," I offered. "But no matter what, you're finishing your essay here, and your picture to go with it, too."

"What am I supposed to draw?"

"A fox, of course."

"Okay, fine. I'll get to it right away."

"Good. I'll fix some lunch while you write," I told him, getting up. "I expect a page and a half at least by the time I get done." Joshua sighed heavily before I stood, going to the kitchen and starting to make some sandwiches. This should be fun, but hopefully Joshua hasn't seen through my lies. I don't want to explain myself just yet. Maybe in due time I will.

A/N: And there's that chapter! What do you guys think of Cookie? She's a cutie, right? I love her adorableness! R&R, peeps!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, now on to the next chapter! Also, I apologize about the time skip, but I need to kinda hurry this along. And going over their weekend together wouldn't have given much. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story, Night, & Cookie.

Different Pasts, Common Presents

Chapter 3

X*X(1 Week Later)X*X

It's been a week since I had Joshua over. Things were fairly uneventful then, but ever since I saw him sleeping on my couch, I realized something. What did I realize? How beautiful he really is when he's sleeping. His face loses all of the attitude, all of the cockiness, and shows how vulnerable he truly is. Something in my heart reacted to the sight, and I had to put up a very strong front to hide it. When he left that Sunday morning, I faked a smile and told him I would see him at school, but I could tell he knew something was up.

I haven't spoken much to the silverette since, especially since the anniversary of my parents' death is now here. I ignored my phone when it chimed, indicating a text, and just continued to lie in bed and stare at nothing. For the next 20 minutes, my phone went off four times, the text alert sounding, but still I ignored it. Finally, it started to ring, and I glanced at the caller ID; Joshua. I knew I needed to talk to him, but I couldn't bring myself to answer the phone.

When it stopped ringing, a couple more minutes passed, and then the alert tone went off again, and I knew he had left me a voicemail. Night meowed at me sadly as Cookie watched, a little puzzled by my behavior. She didn't know about my parents, wasn't around when they died. And I wasn't ready to explain.

Sniffling, I slowly got up and went to feed them, but refused to fix myself anything to eat. Once the two cats were eating, I shuffled back into my bedroom, wrapped my throw blanket around myself, and cried myself to sleep.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When I woke up, the sun was either barely rising, or had almost fully set. Hopefully it was the former, because I wasn't tired enough to sleep anymore. Checking my phone, I saw I had about 13 texts, eight of them from Joshua, the other five from Rhyme. I noticed it was already 4 AM on Sunday, so that helped. I sighed heavily as I checked the messages from Rhyme. She was worried about me, but assured me she wouldn't press for an explanation, just wanted to make sure I was okay.

As for Joshua, that was another story. His messages made me feel awful, and I knew I needed to call or text him back to tell him I was okay. His most recent message asked if I was mad at him, which I wasn't, and it was only forty minutes ago that it had been sent. Jeez, he's been awake that long? I hope he's not upset with me, 'cause that's the last thing I want…

I decided to send him a quick text back, letting him know I was okay, I wasn't mad at him, that I just needed some alone time. I added in there, _Please don't ask, I'll tell you when I'm comfortable._ Soon after I sent it, he texted me back.

_Okay, as long as you're not mad at me, that's what scared me. That and I was afraid you were hurt,_ it read.

_No, not hurt, I'll explain someday._

Shortly after, my phone chimed again.

_All right, I won't pry. See you tomorrow?_

_Yeah, I'll be there,_ I promised.

_Great. See you, Nekky dear~_

I growled under my breath before shaking my head and sighing.

_See you then, Yoshiya._

X*X(2 Months Later)X*X

Damn, how time flies. When I went to school that following Monday, Joshua had been overjoyed to see me, literally throwing his arms around me in relief.

"I won't pry, but please don't do that to me again!" he had begged.

"I promise I won't do it again, Joshua, just…let me…breathe!" I had gasped. The silverette had then quickly proceeded to let go of me, giggling.

Rhyme was cool with me, too. She seemed to understand why I hadn't answered any calls, texts, or anything. When we saw each other in math, there was something in her eyes, a certain sense of knowing, that told me she could tell why I had been so antisocial. So hence, she never asked me, and I knew she wouldn't ask unless I was ready to tell.

Ever since that incident, Joshua and I would text each other on a daily basis. Unfortunately, due to this, I was feeling increasingly awkward about our…relationship, I guess you could say. We're only friends right now, but I want it to be more. I swear to you, during the past two weeks, I've had at least five wet dreams, and had to relieve myself by thinking about Joshua each and every time. It's getting ridiculous! Even Night and Cookie are getting annoyed with me.

For example, when I've had those wet dreams, by the time I return to bed, Night is in his own cat bed, sharing with Cookie, and he gives me a dirty look as if to say, 'Either tell him or get over it already!' Even Cookie, who doesn't like Joshua, seems to agree with him.

Another example is that every day when I get home, I kinda vent to my cats about how I feel about Joshua and how I want to tell him I like him, but I'm scared he won't feel the same. Sure, he's a good friend for me, but I want it to be something more, yet I can't bring myself to tell him.

This brings us to today. It's Friday, right before our week off from school for a break, and Joshua wants me to stay over at his place for the week.

"Please, Neku? I don't want to be alone during the break, and I know you don't want be alone, either," he pleaded. I really didn't want to, but I also don't want to hurt his feelings. What if I had a wet dream again while I was there? I could _never_ live it down!

"But, I need to stay with Night and Cookie," I pointed out.

"Bring them with," he shrugged. "I don't mind. I'm on my own, anyway, so it doesn't matter."

"You're really sure?" I asked a little apprehensively, and he nodded eagerly. "Fine, I'll be there. Meet me at my place after school; I'll need help carrying my stuff."

"Cool, see you then," he grinned, and we split off from our lunch period.

When I got home after school, I pulled out Night's and Cookie's carriers, and began to pack up my things. I stuffed a week's worth of both day and night clothes into a small suitcase, and then grabbed some cat food and canned tuna from the kitchen for the cats. I grabbed an unused litter box, a container of litter, and then my messenger bag, stuffing my laptop, drawing supplies, and sketchbooks into it. By the time I had finished, there was a knock on the door.

"Coming!" I shouted, and ran to the door to answer it. Joshua stood there, and there was a car in my driveway. "Wait, is that your car?!" I yelped, and he giggled.

"Yes, it's my car, Neku, and I'm taking you to my place with it," he smirked. I stared at the car, a 2003 silver Honda Civic. "You can stop staring now."

"Sorry," I blushed. "I just didn't think you had a car…"

"Well, it's kinda old, but reliable. I was taught that if I were to get a car, it needs to be able to get from point A to point B without breaking down somewhere in between," he chuckled.

"Good point," I agreed, smiling. "It suits you, though."

"It should, seeing as I picked it out," he giggled. "All right, let's load your stuff up. How much are you packing?"

"Enough clothes to get me through the week, my laptop and art stuff, an unused litter box, some litter, cat food and canned tuna, some cat toys, and some other random things I need," I listed, ticking each item off on my fingers.

"That's a lot, so I'm glad I decided to drive over to pick you up," the silverette grinned.

"Yeah, and with Night and Cookie, that's more to load into your car," I pointed out. Joshua shrugged, and went into my house, starting to grab some of the stuff near the door.

"I'll load some of your things into my car, and you get Night and Cookie into their crates," he told me, and I nodded.

"Night, Cookie, time to get into your carriers," I called, and the two cats meowed as they willingly walked into them, letting me close the doors behind them. As I picked up the two crates, I noticed Joshua had already packed all of my things into his car, and was about to come back into the house. I quickly handed him Night's crate, seeing as the silver cat had taken a liking to him, and grabbed my house key before leading my friend out and locking the door behind us.

"Ready?" the silverette asked me with a small smile, and I nodded.

"Yeah, let's go," I said, and we loaded the cats into his car, pulling out of the driveway and headin off to Joshua's home.

We soon arrived within ten minutes at an apartment complex, where the buildings seemed very pricey, but well worth it. I stepped out of Joshua's car once he had parked and turned the engine off, and gazed around the place in slight awe.

"Well, this is where I live," he said, gesturing to the apartments. "Fortunately, I'm on the top floor, and there's an elevator so no stairs for us to climb." I stared at him.

"It's gonna take more than one trip, even with both of us, Joshua," I pointed out.

"Oh, all right. Good thing I'm parked close to my building," he shrugged. We unloaded about half of my stuff and took the elevator up to the top floor, where Joshua led me to his apartment. He managed to get his key out, and then unlocked the door, swinging it open. "Go ahead, guests first." I walked inside, holding the cats' crates, and then I gaped when I saw how nice it was.

It was a large, one bedroom apartment, with the bedroom and bathroom off to my immediate right as I walked in. The kitchenette was to my left, and the spacious living room took up the rest of the space*.

"What do you think?" Joshua asked a little nervously as he set my stuff down.

"It's really nice and cozy, but big enough to not feel cramped," I said honestly. "I love it, and it definitely suits you."

"Good to know, seeing as you're living here with me for the next week," he smirked. I set Night's and Cookie's crates down, and let them out. The silver cat and black kitten emerged and quickly began to sniff around, investigating their new surroundings. Cookie seemed to put together where we were, and she wrinkled her nose before mewing at me.

"Oh please, Cookie," I sighed. "It's only for a week. You'll deal."

"It's okay, Neku. She'll have to learn to like me sooner or later, seeing as we'll be at the other's place often," Joshua stated validly. I nodded in agreement, and then we went back down and grabbed the rest of my things. Once back up in the apartment and my belongings were set down by the couch, I clasped my hands together behind my back and lifted my arms until there was a small pop in my right shoulder. The silverette heard it and grimaced. "How can you do that?"

"It felt good!" I laughed.

"Sure it did," he muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes, but he was smiling all the same. "Anyway, what do you want to do for dinner? Since it's Friday, I'm not really in the mood to cook. And besides, I always do takeout on Fridays."

"Um, sounds like a plan, but I don't know what to get for dinner," I told him as I filled the litter box with some fresh cat litter. "By the way, where do you want me to put this?"

"Go ahead and put it in the laundry room," he said as he flipped through something. I looked and saw another door between the bedroom and bathroom, and opened it to reveal the laundry room. Thankfully, the door swung inward, so I didn't have to worry about anyone running into it so the cats could use their box.

"Do you have a bowl for the cat food so these two can eat?" I asked as I toed the carpet, feeling a little awkward since I hadn't thought to grab a bowl or two from my house.

"Oh, yeah, of course," the silverette said, and handed me two bowls. I filled one with a cup and a half of cat food, the other with some water, and set them down by the kitchenette. Night trotted over and lapped a little at the water before curling up on the couch. I then went over to Joshua when I saw that Cookie had taken a quick drink, trying to resist the urge to wrap my arms around his waist and rest my chin on his shoulder, instead looking at what he was flipping through.

"Whatcha doin'?" I asked curiously.

"Looking for something we can do for dinner," he replied, and then seemed to spot something. "Ah, I know where we can get dinner at."

"Where?"

"The Ramen Don," he said simply. I gave him a blank look, and he gaped at me. "Wait, you've never eaten at the Ramen Don?!"

"No, I rarely ever eat out," I admitted, blushing from the embarrassment.

"Well then, we're gonna remedy that tonight," he declared, and I shrugged.

"Sounds good to me," I said. "Sorry, I just kinda lived a sheltered life as I grew up."

"Is that why you're so shy?"

"I guess so." There was a small silence, and then I asked, "So…when are we leaving?"

"We can leave now, if you want," he suggested, and I smiled with a nod.

"Cool, let me just give Night and Cookie a can of tuna," I told him, and quickly prepped a can of the fish, Joshua passing me a small plate to put it on. As soon as I set it down, the two cats immediately began to eat, sitting side by side as they lapped at the tuna. "Okay, I'm ready."

"All right, we can walk, and I'll pay," he informed me, grabbing my wrist as I reached for my wallet. I scowled slightly, but rolled my eyes and abandoned the attempt. Joshua led me to this Ramen Don place, where we sat down in a booth after placing our orders at the counter. Sure, I hadn't eaten here before, and a lot of it was new to me, but at least I had an idea of what I wanted.

"So how do you know about this place?" I questioned while we waited for our food.

"Beat, Rhyme, and I would come here often, and it's always a good place for comfort food," the silverette answered, smiling slightly. "Besides, the owner knows me personally."

"How so?"

"He knew my parents," Joshua shrugged, but I could tell it wasn't a topic he was comfortable with.

"Gotcha," I murmured, and let it drop as our food arrived. After a short awkward silence, we began to talk about our plans for the week while I stayed with him, deciding mainly on playing video games and watching movies. We also agreed to go shopping for some new music for me. Apparently he didn't exactly approve of all of my music, which made me roll my eyes, but smile nonetheless.

"So, Neku, have you heard from your parents at all?" Joshua asked as we ate. I took a bite of my noodles, trying my best to not show my discomfort.

"Yeah, and they're doing well," I smiled, but frowned when I next spoke. "Neither of them knows when they'll be home, though…"

"Well, remember, I'm always here for you, whenever you need some company, Neku," the silverette told me reassuringly, and his fingers brushed against my hand briefly. For a moment there, I thought he was going to hold my hand, but it passed, and I couldn't help but feel a flicker of disappointment. "How's your food?"

"It's really good, especially seeing as it's all fresh and homemade," I grinned.

"I'm happy to hear that," Joshua giggled, and we finished eating in comfortable silence. Once we were done, Joshua paid for it all, and then we walked back to his apartment. "Tired yet?" he asked, smirking slightly as I stifled a yawn.

"Kinda, but I can stay up for a bit if need be," I replied.

"Don't push yourself," he advised. "We'll get ready for bed once we get back to my place."

"Sounds good to me," I smiled tiredly. By the time we walked through the door, I was about ready to fall over and pass out on the floor. I wavered on the spot, but Joshua caught me before I could hit the floor.

"Come on, time to change, and then you're going to sleep," he said firmly. "I have an air mattress if you want to sleep on that."

"Nah, the couch is fine by me," I mumbled sleepily. I went to the bathroom with some pajama pants and a t-shirt, changed into them, and stumbled back out. Fortunately, it seemed that Joshua had put some blankets and a pillow on the couch for me while I was changing. Grateful, I crawled under them and snuggled into their warmth, drifting off instantly.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

"_Neku…you're so…tight…" Joshua panted in my ear as he thrust into me again, making me moan loudly, uncontrollably._

"_Ah, there! Again, Josh! Don't stop!" I cried out when he hit my sweet spot. The silverette groaned as he nipped and lapped at my throat, leaving yet another mark._

"_I don't intend on stopping," he breathed, stroking my member gently. My release was so close, so, so close…_

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

"Gah!" I gasped, bolting upright. A cold sweat covered my clammy skin, but as soon as I moved, I felt the obvious problem. Fuck…

Night and Cookie were watching me from the armchair, and Cookie looked confused, whereas Night appeared amused. His expression read, 'you need to tell him before this gets worse.'

"I'm gonna, I promise," I muttered. I felt awful, and hopefully I hadn't made a mess of his blanket. Peeking underneath it, I sighed in amazed relief; it was still, miraculously, clean. I carefully climbed out from underneath the blanket, and when I went to change pajama bottoms and boxers, as well as relieve my problem, I heard something from Joshua's bedroom. It was quiet moaning. Shocked, I crept closer, listening in on him.

"Neku…!" he panted, and then there was a long, soft groan as he came. I couldn't believe it; he was seriously masturbating while thinking about me?! Well, it wasn't like I was any better…After all, I'd had at least six wet dreams about him by now. I caught my cats' eyes, and they were staring at me, shocked as well, but Night seemed happy.

Realizing I might get caught, I slipped into the bathroom and quickly relieved myself as well, and then changed my pants and boxers. Once I was done, I flushed the toilet and quickly snuck back to the couch, where I slid under the blankets and went back to sleep. This time, there were no more wet dreams.

When morning arrived, I woke up to the smell of bacon cooking. I slowly opened my eyes, surprised by the amount of light in the room, and noticed the clock on the wall read 10:15. It was that late already? Wow, didn't realize I had slept that long…

"Good morning, Nekky," Joshua's voice rang out in the room. He must have noticed me wake up.

"Good morning, Joshua," I yawned, too tired to snap at him about the nickname.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked with a smile. Immediately, my mind remembered last night's wet dream, and I felt my face warm up with a blush.

"Slept good, especially considering it was on a couch, and that I slept this late," I replied, trying to calm my blush. "How about you?"

"Same," he answered shortly, and his smiled faltered for a second. I knew he was attempting to hide about his issue last night. I noticed Night was giving me a pointed look from the armchair, and I sighed.

"Joshua, when we get done eating, I have something to tell you, okay?" I said, and his expression became curious.

"You can tell me now, Neku. I'm almost finished. I'll put the bacon in the oven," he told me, and within five minutes, he was sitting next to me on the couch. "What's up?"

"I…don't know how to say it…" I mumbled, turning red. The silverette watched me, seeming uncertain.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"I…really l-like you…Josh," I managed to get out, stumbling over my words a little bit. He looked surprised, and then his expression became uncertain again.

"You really…like me like that? As more than a friend?" he questioned, his eyes showing his eagerness.

"Yeah, I do," I replied, my blushing darkening. Joshua grinned brightly, and then gripped my hands tightly before kissing me. When he pulled back a few seconds later, his eyes were shining with joy.

"I've been so anxious, thinking you didn't like me that way," he breathed in my ear, the words sending shivers down my spine.

"How could I not?" I scoffed, though I was smiling. "You're the best friend I've had since I started public school, and we've gotten closer and closer each day. I couldn't help but fall for you. And I fell hard."

"To the point where you were dreaming about me last night?" he giggled. Gaping at him, mortified, I blushed to the roots of my hair.

"You heard that?!" I yelped, hiding my face behind my hands.

"Yup, sure did," he laughed, wrapping his arms around my waist. "That and I saw your cum-stained pajama bottoms and boxers from last night in the bathroom."

"Can't believe it…" I muttered, and then remembered last night. "Wait a sec, that's why you were masturbating last night, wasn't it?!" Joshua sobered up instantly and paled.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, looking away quickly.

"Don't play dumb, Josh," I chided, and hugged him. "I was just surprised, and now I know why you were masturbating in the first place. I didn't know why you were."

"So you heard me?"

"Yeah, I heard you cum," I chuckled, and he blushed brightly. "Now you know how I felt just a minute ago."

"Shut up," he mumbled. There was a small mew, and we looked down to see Night and Cookie sitting in front of the couch, both looking pleased and purring. "Come on, let's eat, and then we'll watch a movie, okay?" Joshua suggested as he kissed me again.

"Sounds good," I murmured, but as I started to get up, he gently pushed me back down.

"No, we'll eat out here," he said in response to my pout. Giggling, he added, "Do you want fried eggs or scrambled?"

"Scrambled, but add cheese to them," I told him, and he nodded before going back to the kitchenette and starting up the eggs.

"So, Neku. How many wet dreams have you had of me?" Josh asked, and I could practically _hear_ the smirk in his voice.

"Why do you want to know?" I demanded, growling under my breath.

"Just curious to know about my Nekky's needs," he replied, attempting to sound innocent.

"How many times have you masturbated while thinking about me?" I countered, and he spluttered.

"Why should I tell?"

"Because you asked me about my wet dreams, first, pervert!"

"…Fine, we'll answer at the same time," he sighed, and we both spoke.

"Six."

"Nine."

"What?!"

"I'm gonna be the seme in this relationship, Nekky-dearest, so of course I would think about you like that often," he giggled, and I smothered my face in the pillow. I found it smelled like Joshua, which made things worse.

"What makes you think you're topping me, Josh?" I growled when I sat back up. "You probably couldn't top a girl, let alone me!"

"Really now? I highly doubt that," he smirked.

"Shut up…" I muttered, blushing again.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, and finished cooking breakfast. Joshua brought over our plates, handing me mine and a fork before turning on the TV. He ended up turning it to some movie, but I ignored it, eating my food kinda faster than I normally would. When I was done eating, I waited for Josh to clear his plate, put the dishes in the sink, and return to the couch before cuddling up to him. He chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around me.

"Affectionate much?" Joshua teased.

"Hush, you. I've been stressed out over this, and I've wanted this for a while now," I murmured.

"It's fine, Neku. I'm just teasing," he smiled, and had me lie down, my head in his lap, and ran his fingers through my hair. I hummed happily, closing my eyes as I let him. He kissed my forehead softly, and I tilted my head back so I could capture his lips. We kissed deeply, and soon enough, Joshua brushed his tongue against my lips, seeking entrance. I allowed him in, and our tongues twined together, the silverette's hands gently brushing my sides. When we parted for air, breathing heavily, I could see the love shining in his violet eyes.

"I love you, Josh," I murmured, and he kissed my nose lightly.

"I love you, too, Neku," he smiled back.

"Mrow?" We looked down to see Night looking at us, wanting to come up on the couch. We laughed a bit at his cute face, and let him curl up on my feet. Cookie came over and copied him, lying on my ankles without a sound.

"Hehe, looks like someone was jealous of me getting all of your attention," Joshua snickered. I quirked a brow at him.

"Really now? You think so?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, I do," he replied smugly.

"Night, Cookie, were you getting jealous?" I asked the pair. Night looked at me, rolled his eyes, and went back to sleep. Cookie, however, seemed to make a disgusted face, and shifted to get more comfortable before going back to sleep, too. "Does that answer your question, Josh?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he muttered, pouting.

"Aw, don't worry, I still love you," I chuckled, and he brightened.

"As you should," the silverette giggled. We cuddled like that until evening, and then we ate the leftovers from the night before. When I looked at the clock, it was already almost eleven. I yawned widely when I finished eating, leaning back against the couch. "Tired?"

"Yeah, I am," I admitted, smiling sleepily.

"Well, do you want to sleep with me tonight? I'll try not to let my hands wander," Josh offered with a wink and a smirk.

"Sounds good to me," I shrugged, my mind so foggy from tiredness that I didn't think about any possible consequences.

"Great~" he grinned, and added, "Go ahead and get changed, and then come join me." I did as he told me to, and then went to his room when I was in my t-shirt and pajama bottoms. I didn't think to knock before going in, and my face quickly flushed bright red when I saw my boyfriend shirtless. He giggled when he saw my expression, and beckoned my over.

"Sorry, didn't think to knock…" I mumbled, still blushing.

"It's okay," he assured me, and pulled on a shirt before crawling into bed. "Come on, Neku. Time to go to sleep." I joined him, snuggling up to his side, and sighing contentedly.

"Goodnight, Josh. I love you," I murmured as I closed my eyes.

"Goodnight, Neku. I love you, too," he replied, kissing my forehead before wrapping his arms around my shoulders and going to sleep, too.

A/N: Sorry about the delay, everyone, but I've been kinda busy. I have three tests this week, all back-to-back, and I'm about to go in for my second one. I've been busy studying, but I'm just glad I was able to make the time to finish this chapter. R&R, peeps!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: On to Chapter 4! And I know this isn't a Kingdom Hearts fic, but…HAPPY AKUROKU DAY! Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story, Night, & Cookie.

Different Pasts, Common Presents

Chapter 4

"_Neku, honey, don't you love us?" a familiar voice asked, and I looked about, spotting my parents._

"_Mom? Dad?" I uttered, and ran to them happily. "What do you mean, 'don't I love you?' Of course I do!"_

"_Then why haven't you told Joshua the truth about us yet?" Dad demanded, his eyes narrowing._

"_B-because I didn't want to be seen a-as the kid to be p-pitied," I stuttered. "I also d-didn't want to w-worry him."_

"_Neku, you need to tell him what really happened," Mom urged._

"_You can't live a lie forever, especially in a relationship," Dad agreed._

"_I'll tell him the truth, I promise," I swore. "I miss you guys so much…" I added, tears forming in my eyes._

"_We know, sweetie, but we're always with you in your heart, you know that," Mom assured me, and hugged me._

"_All right, now go. Tell him when you wake up," Dad ordered, and I nodded as he placed his hand on my shoulder._

"_We love you, Neku," they said._

"_Love you, too," I whispered as I started to cry._

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

I woke up to Joshua shaking me gently, his expression panicked.

"Neku! Oh thank god you're awake," he sighed in relief.

"Why? What happened?" I asked, and my boyfriend stared at me.

"You started whimpering in your sleep, and then you were crying," he murmured, and I could see how worried he was. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I have something to confess," I mumbled, looking away.

"What would that be?" he asked.

"You know how I said my parents are out on business?" I reminded him. He nodded, furrowing his brows as though he was wondering where I was going with this. "I…wasn't telling the truth… They're dead…" My voice cracked at the last word, and tears formed in my eyes. Joshua gasped quietly, and then wrapped his arms around me in a comforting embrace as I began to cry.

"Shhh," he soothed, rubbing my back in small circles to calm me down. When I relaxed, he said, "Neku…I'm so sorry…Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want to be pitied," I murmured when I calmed down. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, I understand," the silverette promised. "I don't pity you; in fact, I can sympathize about having no parents." I gazed at him, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I was given up for adoption by my mother when I was born, and my adoptive parents kicked me out when they found out I was gay," Josh explained.

"Oh god, I'm sorry, Josh," I said, and hugged him.

"It's okay; I didn't really like my adoptive parents anyway. They were assholes," he shrugged.

"But, then, how were you able to afford this place? And all of your stuff?" I wondered.

"When my biological father found out about me when I was eight, he put me down on his will that I would inherit everything he owned, including his money. About four years ago, though, he was found stabbed to death by my mother, and she was sentenced to death while I was informed of his murder. Once my adoptive parents kicked me out, though, I got all of his money and possessions, even his house. I decided to sell his house and some of the furniture, and put what I didn't sell or keep here in a storage facility. I used some of his money to buy my car, rent this apartment, and buy a few things I needed."

"Wow…And you have a job, why?" I questioned.

"Because I thought I could use the work experience, but I have enough money from my father's life insurance policy and inheritance money that I could probably quit my job," Joshua shrugged. "How did you afford your house?"

"Same deal. Life insurance policy money and inheritance," I replied, lowering my gaze. "I'm actually living in the same house, seeing as I'm an only child, but I don't mind it. I ended up selling most of my parents' things when they died, except for things I know I'll use in the future and the sentimental value items."

"Ah, gotcha," he nodded in understanding. He hugged me once more before looking at the time on his alarm clock. "Well, it's five in the morning. Want to get some more sleep or just get up for the day?"

"I don't think I'll be getting any more sleep until later tonight," I mumbled, starting to climb out of bed.

"Neku, wait," Joshua grabbed my hand as I was about to go shower and get dressed. I glanced at him, and he asked, "What was that dream about? You never told me." Sighing, I sat back down on the bed.

"I dreamt of my parents, and they wanted me to tell you the truth about them," I muttered. "They said I can't live a lie with someone I love."

"Neku…I'm so sorry, I really am," he murmured. "I can sympathize, I honestly can."

"Sorry, Josh, I know," I sighed. "I'm gonna go take a shower…" Standing once more, I made my way to the bathroom with a clean set of clothes. While in the shower, I thought about how well Joshua had taken my story. He had accepted me as someone not to be pitied, and understood, even being able to sympathize. I pushed him away just now, though…Fuck, I need to apologize. I hurriedly finished my shower and hopped out, dried myself off, and then got dressed. Once I was all done, even with my hair, I left the bathroom to find said silverette sitting on the couch, looking upset.

"Josh?" I called softly, and he looked up. "I'm sorry about earlier…"

"It's okay, Neku," he assured me with a smile. I sat down next to him, and he pulled me close to him.

"What're you—" I started to say, but he kissed me softly on the lips. When he pulled away, he was smirking. "What was that for?"

"Because I'm glad you told me the truth," he answered. "I know it hurts to talk about it, but it's best to be honest about that kind of thing."

"Thank you," I told him, and snuggled into his side. We remained there, cuddling for a few hours…until my stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Joshua laughed lightly. I blushed and shoved him.

"Yes, but that's to be expected. I haven't eaten since last night, and it's already almost nine in the morning," I muttered.

"True. What would you like for breakfast?" the silverette offered with a smile.

"I'll cook this time," I grinned, hauling myself off the couch. There was a sudden pattering, and Night and Cookie dashed out of the laundry room.

"They must have heard you," Joshua giggled.

"Yup, and they love my cooking," I chuckled as the silverette pouted.

"What, they don't like mine?"

"We'll find out tonight if you want. You can cook, and then they can have a taste," I suggested.

"Fine," he grumbled, but perked up when I kissed his cheek as I went to the kitchenette. "There better be more where that came from!"

"Oh, there will be," I smirked as I purposely bent over to pull out a frying pan.

"Dammit, Neku, don't tease me!" he shouted, and I laughed.

"I'll do what I want, because I know no matter what, you love me," I pointed out. Joshua grumbled as he sank into the couch cushions, making me chuckle. I set to work making two scrambled eggs for Night and Cookie, and when I finished that, I made pancakes from scratch. I added cinnamon and honey to the mix, and once I finished the entire batch, I piled them onto a couple of plates and carried them out to Joshua. Right when I set down the plates, I went back to the fridge and pulled out the butter, and then fished out the syrup, forks, and knives before returning to my boyfriend.

"Holy shit, Neku, they smell amazing!" the silverette praised.

"Try eating them, they're even better," I smiled. He obeyed, taking a bite of them. His eyes lit up with delight, and he hummed in approval.

"Oh. My. God. This is heaven!" Joshua grinned, and began to wolf down his pancakes. I ate mine neatly, and when we were both finished, the silverette pulled me close to him, kissing the top of my head lovingly. "Those were delicious, Neku. You need to cook more often."

"You just want me to be a housewife," I muttered, glaring playfully up at him.

"So you're admitting to being the girl, huh?" he giggled, and I blushed. "Not that I'm saying you're a girl. Just saying that you're the bottom in this relationship, Nekky~"

"Dammit, I thought we went over this!" I protested, scowling. "You couldn't top a girl, let alone me!"

"But Nekky, you just admitted to being a housewife," he pointed out, smirking.

"Fuuuuck…" I grumbled, pouting when I knew he was right. Joshua chuckled as he kissed my temple.

"Don't worry, I still love you," he mumbled against my skin.

"You'd better," I laughed lightly.

"Oh, hey, wanna play a video game?" my boyfriend suggested eagerly, and I grinned at him.

"What game?"

"Super Smash Bros. Brawl," he smirked.

"Sure, that should be good," I chuckled. "Got any GameCube controllers?"

"Yeah, I always play using them. Let me go grab my Wii and the controllers." And with that, Joshua went to his bedroom, retrieving the game, system, and controllers, and then setting it up. Once he had it plugged in and started the game up, I grabbed the Player 1 controller.

"Hey!" Joshua protested.

"I'm the guest, so I'm Player 1," I smirked, and he sighed.

"Fine, choose your character," he muttered, but I instead went to the settings, choosing the items that we could use and how often they appeared, as well as who chooses the stage for each round. Once I finished, I picked Lucario.

"Lucario, huh? Well, I pick Kirby," he giggled, and then I clicked on start, still smirking.

As soon as the match began in the Pokémon Stadium 2, I waited until Kirby was close enough, and then grabbed him using the Z-button, catching him in a choke-hold. I used Lucario to deliver a quick series of punches, and then slammed Kirby into the ground with a strong kick. I heard Josh's noise of protest as I ran off, and then charged up an Aura Sphere attack. Once charged, I shot it at him, earning a direct hit. Suddenly, Kirby sucked Lucario up and copied his Aura Sphere power, and I growled under my breath. But when the Final Smash Sphere showed up, I grinned evilly.

"Oh, you're gonna get it now, Josh!" I cackled, and swiftly attacked it with an Aura Sphere, gaining its power. I smirked at him before activating Aura Storm. Lucario hovered into the air, and then released a huge beam of aura energy at the ground. I used the analog stick on my controller to aim it at Kirby, and laughed loudly when the pink guy was sent flying, even smashing into the screen.

"What the hell!" Joshua yelped, and glared playfully at me. "It's on now, Neku!"

With that, he had Kirby smash Lucario with his hammer, but I snagged a Pokéball as I dodged, throwing it down onto the ground and summoning Latios.

"Yes!" I crowed, and watched gleefully as Latias and Latios darted around the battlefield, slamming into Kirby repeatedly. As soon as they were gone, though, Kirby charged at Lucario and performed a flying kick, hitting him. That's when the Final Smash Sphere appeared again. This time, Joshua was able to get Kirby to it faster, and he activated Cook Kirby. I made Lucario leap away, performing Extremespeed to be able to avoid getting boiled alive. Once the attack ended, Lucario raced in, performing a C-stick smash to the little pink guy. When the timer began to count down from five, though, Joshua and I grinned at each other and had our characters pose before the timer hit zero.

"And the winner is…Lucario!" the game announced, and I laughed as Joshua facepalmed.

"So not fair…" the silverette grumbled.

"Yes it is," I grinned. "You're just being a sore loser."

"Well, I won't lose at another game," he giggled.

"What game?" I asked, completely oblivious.

"How about I show you?" he replied, his voice low and husky. I gulped as he approached me, and then he kissed me deeply. I kissed back, trying to lean forward, but he was so intent on kissing me I fell back until I was leaning back on my elbows. I gasped into his mouth, and the silverette's tongue slid into my mouth, tasting me. Eventually, we broke apart for air.

"You…want me…that bad…don't you?" I panted as I slowly sat up again.

"Of course I do," he breathed, sitting back and crossing his legs. "I want you so bad, but I won't push you. We've only been together a day, after all." I could see he was hard, even though he was trying to cover it.

"Josh, I know you're hard," I told him, and he turned bright red. "And besides, what if I said I want to be yours?"

"Wait, are you serious?" my boyfriend gaped at me. "Neku, I don't want to push you—"

"Joshua," I interrupted, and blushed as I next spoke, my words soft. "I actually do want you to take me. Make me yours."

"Only if you're sure that's what you want," he murmured, grasping my hand.

"It is."

A/N: Sorry about the cliffy, but I'm gonna write the lemon in the next chapter! R&R, peeps!


End file.
